MINAWI WARNS OF NEW WAVE OF NRF ATTACKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KHARTOUM 000974

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF A/S FRAZER, AF S/E NATSIOS, AND AF/SPG
NSC FOR PITTMAN AND SHORTLEY
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2012
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO AU UN SU
SUBJECT: MINAWI WARNS OF NEW WAVE OF NRF ATTACKS

REF: KHARTOUM 00890

Classified By: P/E Chief Trevor Monroe, Reason: Sections 1.4 (b) and (d
)


1. (C) Senior Assistant to the President and leader of the
Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) Minni Minawi warned POLOFF on
June 19 of a new infiltration of National Redemption Front
(NRF) forces into South Darfur near Haskanita. UN reports of
June 18 had indicated that a group of NRF fighters had massed
in South Darfur and were preparing to re-join the SLM.
Minawi confirmed these initial accounts but said that they
had been a ruse to enter SLM-controlled territory near
Haskanita.


2. (C) According to Minawi, the NRF intends to foment
instability in South Darfur in order to undermine the SLM.
NRF attacks on African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) and
Sudanese Government installations would either underscore the
SLM's weakness or be blamed on the SLM, explained Minawi. To
pre-empt this scenario, Minawi is preparing a report on the
recent NRF infiltration. He plans to present this report to
the AU and the Government of National Unity (GNU) on June 20.
(Comment: With Sudan's recent "acceptance" of the UN/AU
hybrid force, Sudanese officials will likely shift all
culpability for the violence in Darfur to Darfur Peace
Agreement signatory and non-signatory factions. End
comment.)


3. (C) The SLM continues to maintain that rogue elements
outside of the SLM command structure have perpetrated much of
the violence attributed to the movement. To address
increasing opposition to the SLM among AMIS, humanitarian
organizations, and the people of Darfur, Minawi is
considering a "conference" of SLM commanders, AMIS, and
international non-governmental organizations to discuss the
security situation and examine methods for increasing
stability. He is encouraged by the departure of AMIS Force
Commander Luke Aprezi, who Minawi viewed as being anti-SLM,
and hopes to capitalize on the opportunity of new AMIS
leadership. Minawi's thinking on the conference is in its
early stages, and he has not yet raised the idea with AMIS.


4. (C) As recently as June 17, President Bashir has been
pressing Minawi to contribute to plans for returning
displaced persons to their homes and beginning reconstruction
programs. The SLM leader said that he has offered no
response to Bashir's overtures, recognizing that security
must be the first priority. Minawi has urged Bashir to
concentrate on disarmament of the Janjaweed while he works to
bring more cohesion within the SLM. The President has
responded that the National Congress Party (NCP) "doesn't
control them (the Janjaweed) anymore." While Minawi stated
for the second time in two weeks that Arab tribes around
Kebkabiya had split from NCP-backed Janjaweed leader Musa
Hillal (reftel),he acknowledged that the NCP could easily
regain control of these tribes through bribery. The SLM's
own need for financial resources were acute, however. Access
to more resources would complement his other efforts to
stabilize the security environment, such as the SLM-AMIS-NGO
conference, and ease the tensions between AMIS and
humanitarian organizations, which often lead to violence.
FERNANDEZ